Chelsea have reportedly landed on a ballpark asking price for Moises Caicedo amid interest from Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr. Caicedo has been a mainstay this season, starting every Premier League game for manager Enzo Maresca, who believes him to be one of the best defensive midfielders on the planet.
The Ecuadorian was always going to have to play out of his skin to repay the £115million package Chelsea agreed with Brighton in the summer of 2023. Whether he has lived up to that lofty price tag is open for debate, but Caicedo is still regarded as a supreme Premier League talent who brings top-tier energy and tenacity to the middle of the park.
That is at least the view of Al-Nassr, who are eyeing up the 23-year-old as a ‘dream’ signing for the summer transfer window. The Saudi side have cash to burn, as evidenced by their big-money moves for the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Jhon Duran.
And Chelsea’s resolve could be tested if it progresses to the point of money being put on the table. Caicedo has six years of his massive eight-year contract left to run, so the Blues are under no pressure to sell.
But the prospect of banking a massive fee to fund other transfer endeavours could tempt senior figures at Stamford Bridge. According to The Telegraph, Chelsea chiefs are set to demand upwards of £100m to let go of Caicedo.
Even that may be too small a fee in the eyes of Maresca, who holds the all-action star in particularly high esteem. “In this moment I think he is one of the best, or the best defensive midfielder in the world,” the Italian said earlier this month.
“He is doing fantastic. The best thing about Moi is that everyday he is working seriously, he is very humble, very kind, he is polite, he is a fantastic guy.”
One factor working in Chelsea’s favour with regard to keeping Caicedo is that they have a huge collection of other saleable assets. Among the valuable players out on loan are Axel Disasi, Joao Felix, Carney Chukwuemeka, Armando Broja, Raheem Sterling, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Renato Veiga.
It would not be a major surprise to see all of them sold this summer in an effort to thin out Maresca’s bloated squad. And that would reduce pressure to sell first-team regulars like Caicedo, regardless of the sums Al-Nassr may be willing to pay.